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Credits: Department of Health and Human Services and

Weight Management

# To maintain body weight in a healthy range, balance calories from foods and beverages with calories expended.

# To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.

Exercise

# Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being and a healthy body weight.

# To reduce the risk of chronic disease in adulthood, engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, above usual activity, at work or home on most days of the week.

# For most people, greater health benefits can be obtained by engaging in physical activity of more vigorous intensity or longer duration.

# To help manage body weight and prevent gradual, unhealthy body weight gain in adulthood, engage in approximately 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week while not exceeding caloric intake requirements.

# To sustain weight loss in adulthood, participate in at least 60 to 90 minutes of daily moderate-intensity physical activity while not exceeding caloric intake requirements. Some people may need to consult with a healthcare provider before participating in this level of activity.

# Achieve physical fitness by including cardiovascular conditioning, stretching exercises for flexibility and resistance exercises or calisthenics for muscle strength and endurance.

Important Food Groups

Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and two-and-half cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.

# Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.

# Consume three or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.

# Consume three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

Fats

# Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.

# Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

# When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-fat or fat-free.

# Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids and choose products low in such fats and oils.

Carbohydrates

# Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains often.

# Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners, such as amounts suggested by the USDA Food Guide and the DASH Eating Plan.

# Reduce the incidence of dental cavities by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.

Sodium And Potassium

# Consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 teaspoon of salt) of sodium per day.

# Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Alcohol

Those who choose to drink alcoholic beverages should do so sensibly and in moderation - defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

# Alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by some individuals, including those who cannot restrict their alcohol intake, women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, individuals taking medications that can interact with alcohol, and those with specific medical conditions.

# Alcoholic beverages should be avoided by individuals engaging in activities that require attention, skill, or coordination, such as driving or operating machinery.

Food Safety

To avoid microbial foodborne illness:

# Clean hands, food contact surfaces and fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry should not be washed or rinsed.

# Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods.

# Cook foods to a safe temperature to kill microorganisms.

# Chill (refrigerate) perishable food promptly and defrost foods properly.

# Avoid raw (unpasteurized) milk or any products made from unpasteurized milk, raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unpasteurized juices and raw sprouts.

What Beauty Is

What people perceive as beauty has been changing for centuries. From waif-like to curvaceous, follow the trends of what was considered attractive in the last century.

1900s

British-born actress and Broadway star Lillian Russell is considered an ideal beauty at about 200 pounds.

1920s

Women's clothing is less restrictive and the "flapper" look is fashionable. Baggy dresses that expose arms and legs lead to greater body consciousness. "Calorie counting" becomes a common device for women who want to lose weight.

1930s

Bra cup sizes are introduced, adding to a growing emphasis on a slim, hourglass figure.

1950s

The voluptuous look is in, and Marilyn Monroe becomes the epitome of beauty. There is less emphasis on weight.

1963

As dieting becomes more popular, Weight Watchers is founded as a support group for women who are trying to lose weight. Today, Weight Watchers boasts a following of more than 25 million men and women.

1967

British fashion model Lesley Hornby, known as Twiggy, arrives in America. She is 5 foot 7 inches and weighs less than 100 pounds. She becomes a dominant face in the fashion world in the late 1960s.

1970s

The ultra-thin look is out and a more fit, athletic ideal becomes popular. The roots of the "fitness craze" are taking shape.

1981

Jane Fonda's Workout Book becomes an instant best seller and continues the trend started in the 1970s toward a more toned female body.

1987

The average model weighs 23 percent less than the average American woman.

1992

According to several studies, an estimated 6 million people suffer from eating disorders in America.

1995

Calvin Klein ads feature gaunt, glassy-eyed models. The look, known as "heroin chic," becomes popular in the ad industry and causes an outrage from politicians and parents groups.

2000

Despite the nation's obsession with diet and exercise obesity is on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity affects nearly one in five Americans.

Sources: Joan Jacobs Brumberg,

"The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls," (Vintage, 1998); Terry Poulton, "Fat Chicks: How Big Business Profits by Making Women Hate Their Bodies - And How to Fight Back," (Birch Lane Press, 1997); Naomi Wolf, "The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women," (Anchor Books, 1991).